Exemplary embodiments relate to communications, and more specifically, to communications in networks.
A cellular network is a radio network distributed over land areas called cells, each served by at least one fixed-location transceiver known as a cell site or base station. When joined together these cells provide radio coverage over a wide geographic area. This enables a large number of portable transceivers (e.g., mobile phones including smart phones and mobile computers) to communicate with each other and with fixed transceivers and telephones anywhere in the network, via base stations, even if some of the transceivers are moving through more than one cell during transmission.
Today, 3G networks (and 4G networks) offer high-speed data transfer. This allows for a variety of cell phone features, such as high-speed internet, audio and video streaming, and even video conferencing. 3G networks employ various wireless technologies, such as W-CDMA, Wi-MAX, CDMA (code division multiple access) 2000, EDGE (enhanced data rates for GSM (global system for mobile communications) evolution or enhanced data rates for global evolution), etc.